Persecution of human rights lawyer

Lawyer Sirikan Charoensiri has been in trouble with the military dictatorship since it seized power. The junta hates her because she is a human rights lawyer who has represented political opponents of the regime.

Prachatai reports that the military junta has now decided to charge her with “sedition and violation of the junta’s political gathering ban, for observing a pro-democracy protest.”

Police have summoned Sirikan, who is with the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), to appear. She is accused of “observing a pro-democracy gathering at Victory Monument, Bangkok, on 25 June 2015. The gathering was organised by the New Democracy Movement (NDM) activist group.” (Members of the NDM face similar charges.)

It is worth noting that, apart from being vindictive and nasty, the junta is moving to micro-level control, using a giant sledgehammer called sedition to crack the skulls of anyone it fears might be an opponent. Rule of law is flushed and gone.